Peter MacKay

Peter MacKay is a Partner in the Baker & McKenzie Toronto office. Prior to joining the Firm in 2016, Peter MacKay, PC, QC (Privy Council and Queen’s Counsel), served in the Parliament of Canada for over 18 years and in a ministerial post in the Canadian government for almost ten years after the Conservative Party formed a government in 2006. Most recently, he served as Canada’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice until November 2015, a position to which he was appointed in 2013. Prior to this post, Mr. MacKay served as the Minister of National Defence for six years and held joint cabinet positions as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency for 18 months.

During his first five years in the House of Commons, Mr. MacKay served as House Leader for the Progressive Conservative caucus. In this capacity he represented the caucus on issues pertaining to management and operations of Parliament. He also served as the Progressive Conservative critic for law enforcement issues, and as a member of the Board of Internal Economy, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, the Standing Committee on Finance, and the Sub-Committee on the Study of Sport in Canada. In May 2003, Mr. MacKay became the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada’s 23rd leader. He played a pivotal role in the reunification of the Conservative movement in Canada and the formation of the Conservative Party of Canada, serving as its 1st deputy leader.

From 1992 to 1997, Mr. MacKay served as a Crown prosecutor in Nova Scotia, and spent time in private practice and in Germany as lawyer at Thyssen Henchel. He is the founder of the highly regarded Halifax International Security Forum, which he hosted beginning in 2009. He has served on numerous volunteer board and has recently joined the National Board of Special Olympics Canada, Boost Child Youth Advocacy Centre and Wounded Warriors Canada.